EU Cementing Ties with India

July 18, 2026

The European Union (EU) and India have agreed to deepen cooperation on trade and technology, making India only the second country after the United States to establish this level of formal partnership with Brussels.

The development signals the EU’s intention to give India a larger role in its supply chains, technology ecosystem and broader economic strategy.

The third meeting of the EU–India Trade and Technology Council was held in Brussels on Wednesday, bringing together three Indian ministers and three members of the European Commission.

India was represented by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada. The European delegation included Henna Virkkunen, Maros Sefcovic and Ekaterina Zaharieva.

The council was launched in 2022 by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the latest meeting, both sides agreed to expand its scope before the end of the year.

The proposed initiatives include discussions on India’s participation in the Horizon Europe research programme, the establishment of a joint centre for electric vehicle charging technology, the launch of an alliance of high-tech start-ups, and expanded collaboration in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, supercomputing, quantum technology and 6G networks.

India and the EU also agreed to strengthen cooperation in pharmaceutical, food and energy supply chains, reflecting efforts to build more resilient and diversified global supply networks.

According to the article, the European Union views India as one of the key pillars of its future economic strategy, making this partnership one of Brussels’ most significant diplomatic and commercial investments in recent years.

The article further notes that the initiative reflects the changing global economic landscape, where growth and strategic partnerships are no longer centred solely on transatlantic relations. It concludes that India is engaging with the EU not as a junior partner but as an independent major power with its own strategic interests, and the way both sides balance these interests will shape the future of their relationship.